Discovering Your Inner Resilience: A Buddhist Perspective
With John Henderson
April 5 - 7, 2024
Say Goodbye to Anxiety, Stress, and Fatigue
A DHARMAKAYA CENTER RETREAT
Life is challenging—and every day brings new complications. The loss of a loved one. An insufferable boss. Financial troubles. Family angst. Even the current state of the world. In this weekend you will learn how to work with your most challenging emotions, so that you can stop being overwhelmed and learn instead how to overcome difficulties from a place of inner calm, strength, and resilience.
“John is a fantastic teacher—very knowledgeable, very perceptive, and an excellent communicator. The pace and his patience were incredibly helpful.”
BRING A FRIEND DISCOUNT: Do you know someone who would like this program, but hasn’t been to the Center? Bring them, and you both get a 10% discount on your entire program package. For the discount to apply, there must be two reservations, at least one of whom has not taken a Dharmakaya Center class previously. At checkout, apply the Discount Code: BringAFriend. May not be combined with an Early Bird Discount.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE: We are pleased to be able to offer partial scholarships for this program. Please apply here.
STAY SAFE DURING COVID-19: We are committed to your health and safety. Please read our COVID-19 Precautions & Preparations to understand our strategies.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The universality of grief, loss, anxiety, and other painful emotions in no way tempers the pain they cause or makes them easier to navigate. But key Buddhist practices can help create resilience and the inner space to find ease, even in the face of overwhelming difficulty.
We will approach this weekend from the perspective of compassion—both for others and for ourselves. Nurturing a sense of caring enlarges our capacity to release the weight of grief and anxiety, whether current, recent, or long past. Together we will explore:
- The lessons of impermanence and how they help mitigate our reactions to loss and change
- The freedom of “no ego”, letting go of “me” and “mine”
- The practice of “non-dwelling” and the lessons of staying in the present
- Ways to hold painful experiences with acceptance, mindfulness, and self-compassion
- Gratitude practice that helps you appreciate and feel nurtured by all that is still good
The weekend will include guided meditations, walking meditation, teachings with Q&A, and both personal and group discussions that will uncover your unique resilience, teach you how to apply it for everyday use, and leave you with the ability to overcome even the most stressful and challenging situations.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
- Intimate setting with personal access to the teacher
- Interactive sessions with question and answer periods
- Shamatha and guided meditations
- Delicious all-vegetarian meals with locally sourced ingredients
- Option to extend stay on Personal Retreat
- Extensive library of dharma books
- Expansive wooded grounds with walking trails
OPEN TO ALL
This retreat is appropriate for both new and experienced meditators. Everyone is welcome.
SCHEDULE
(subject to change)
Friday, April 5
3:00 PM | Check in begins |
6:00-7:00 PM | Dinner |
7:30-8:30 PM | Welcome and Introduction |
Calming Meditation Techniques |
Saturday, April 6
7:00-8:00 AM | Morning Salutations and Meditation, optional |
8:00-9:00 AM | Breakfast |
9:30 AM-11:30 AM | Program |
12:00-1:00 PM | Lunch |
2:00-4:30 PM | Program |
6:00-7:00 PM | Dinner |
7:30-9:00 PM | Evening Meditation, optional |
Sunday, April 7
7:00-8:00 AM | Morning Salutations and Meditation, optional |
8:00-9:00 AM | Breakfast |
9:30 AM-11:30 AM | Program |
12:00-1:00 PM | Lunch |
1:00 PM | Checkout and Departure |
Teacher
John Henderson has studied Buddhist philosophy and practiced meditation for nearly 30 years. Since 2003 he has been a senior student of the Dharmakaya Center’s founder, Rimay master Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche. John has applied the teachings in his professional life as a serial entrepreneur, leading both healthcare and real estate businesses, and as a board member of numerous not-for-profit organizations in the Northeast. He has been teaching at the Center since it opened in 2017, offering dozens of programs in person and online, as well as providing individual meditation guidance to our retreatants and our volunteers. COMMENTS FROM FORMER…
Learn more about John Henderson